• by Kelly Samardak , October 5, 2009

Netmining U.S. Launch Party, B.B. King's, New York
October 1, 2009

You may think that when I hit the streets to cover this beat that I'm just interested in nailing someone for having a sloppy mini burger or hoping that someone give me the clipboard stink-eye so I can skin them with some obscure army/toilet reference.  Not so, my friends.   Covering the social side of online (and off) advertising, marketing, and media gives me the opportunity to observe agencies'/companies'/publishers'/etc. priorities.   You can tell a successful and happy company -- or at least, a successfully happy company -- by the vibe of their event.  No matter how big or small, a company poisoned by infighting is going to be reflected as clearly as the bottoms of their wine glasses on their silver serving trays.   A company that's thriving or feeling positive about thriving in the future will no doubt continue to wine and dine their partners, clients, and prospects with what feels like a pretty decadent event (all relative to the economy, of course).  From what I saw last Thursday night I think Netmining, sister company of 360i,  seems to be doing pretty well for themselves. 

Another thing easily observable at these shindigs is who's hiring and who's firing. People tend to let loose, drop a few gripes, drop a few good pieces of news -- well, you get it -- and I just absorb and stash away.  For example, a while back I got an email from Danielle Nuzzo, who was at Porter-Novelli, saying she was leaving for another opportunity (when I was at IBM, that usually meant "reorged" or "laid off").  A subsequent email announced she'd been scooped up by 360i.  DiGennaro Communications cut Karen Ram loose, only to have her land on her feet like a proper Ohio girl should... at 360i.   Maybe that's why 360i had their party at B.B King's.  It wasn't, but a girl can pretend.  What they were really doing was celebrating the U.S. launch party for Netmining, a behavioral targeting technology with their sights set on  display targeting and Web site customization.  The "live classic rock cover band" was the dealmaker for me.

Fronting said cover band, aptly named Unrehearsesd, was Netmining's own Anthony Martinelli on guitar and vocals.  Success metrics for a cover band fall into a bucket of public making-out and overt drunkenness -- and Unrehearsed achieved both.  As I was squeezing through the packed bar snapping away, I tried to take a shot of two people who I thought knew each other, but the woman ran off like a frightened squirrel, chirping, "No pictures! No pictures!"  The dude stuck around (he's in the captions), but the skittish lady was later found publicly chewing on another guest's face in multiple locations (and once they were even seen heading up the stairs toward the bathrooms).  Yes, I do believe I have photo evidence. 

Public making-out aside (even though it's so fun), this party really did rock.  On the lower lower level of the room, it was a mini Vegas with roulette, craps, blackjack, and the constant gamble that is networking.  I managed to out-talk a sales dude and dump my drink on the craps table.  Gail Hilton of Thought Equity Motion was having better luck placing chips that don't drip on various numbers as, nearby, David Andrews, Director of Media for international Masters Publishing, Inc (IMP), tried to learn some hot tips from Mike Gerbino, Business Development Manager at Theorem.

I heard a ruckus and found a dance circle forming in front of the stage.  Breakdance fight! Czar Dizon, Graphic Designer at Singer Direct, was flipping, flopping, and spinning all over the floor, much to the dismay of his opponent.  I had a goat-centric conversation towards the end of the night with Adam Wood, Account Director at DOCLIX, Inc., whom I originally met over a year ago at the sushi-tastic Everyday Health party.  We share a mutual love and respect for the infamous fainting goats and have a business idea brewing with them in mind.

The night flew by propelled by great people and stomach-hurting laughs.  That and the fun of stalking Octopus Mouth and her victim like Freddy Krueger-stalking narcoleptics.  Congratulations to the dude (hunting down the name for you) who won the heavily coveted The Beatles: Rockband and also joined the band, beating his tambourine in a style not seen since the incomparable Stevie Nicks.

This week is fully booked with events, so find those reading glasses; we're going to be seeing a lot of each other.

Rock out on Flickr!

Send invitations to kelly@mediapost.com as always!

Why so late with this column? I spent all day Friday, um, honking, due to a maligned stop at Ruby Tuesday's in Times Square.  Shut up, I know. 

 *at 3:44p.m on 10/06/09 Danielle Nuzzo would like to clarify that she was not laid off from Porter Novelli and has no ill will towards them at all.  Insert a genuine smiley face*